Death of a Hero
by Leider Hosen
Summary: You will be missed (T.T)


Filth. That was the only proper word to describe this pit.

If there was a hell, this defiled valley would be somewhere very close to it. The reek of decaying bodies hung so heavily in the air, the interior of my dark silver helmet fogged, though I dared not remove it.

Part of it was for protection- part of it was to place some kind of a barrier between me and this place- as though I could blot out the mewling of the poor fools above me, up on the higher tiers of the canyon where they cried out endlessly for relief from their suffering, though there was none to be had in this vile place- a rain of sewage sending a perpetual ripple over the reeking mire my boots were pressed down into- the heels resting on the piles of dead I'd crushed- legendary heroes and soldiers who'd met their end at my hand.

Beyond this twisted throne- through the valley, was a sight so sick it turned my stomach within my hardened armor- after the uncounted years I'd spend in this place, the infant children of the denizens here.

But, nothing could be born here. Nothing new and bright as a child could come into being in a world that was losing its very soul. The attempts at children were presented to dearest Astrea for her blessing, though the power to heal them had left her long ago, her soul depleted with the visits of all those who came before them.

Rather than grow, they decayed into nothing more than bloated- pulsating sacks of flesh roughly hewn into the shape of a baby- the sods wandering aimlessly, trying to grope for some unseen nape, though the silver paladin doubted they even remembered who their mothers were, at this point.

Despair and madness closed in on me- always- but-

I raised my dark azure eyes, shrouded by the faceless helm that pressed the world back- though the maiden saw them clear as the sun which'd abandoned us, her own soft, sky blue eyes meeting mine- a small, benevolent smile greeting me.

Her presence- that kind, pale face of hers- I think that is the only thing I believe keeps me going, now.

Even as that accursed demon's soul writhes in her lap, even in this place forsaken by all, even God himself, I view her to be the most flawless and beautiful thing in all the world.

My stomach turned over itself in sorrow, trying to banish the thought that no matter how many I slew- one day- at one time- there would be another to claim her demon's soul.

One that did not care for she who possessed it, as I cared. They would ravage her- body and soul- who knows, maybe they would leave her alive- for some perverse amusement before finishing her off, as coveted as she was.

My grip tightened- the dark silver of my grieves squeaking a little as my unnatural strength- granted by the souls of heroes- pressed down. I would not let that happen- no matter what- I would never bow to any invasion of this valley. I swore it by the strength of my armor, and the might of my great Warhammer.

The ground trembled, our eyed parting. Maiden Astraea gazed back into her demon's soul- While my attention was drawn to a point beyond my sight, up the flowing walls of mire and sewage-

I could feel it- past the depraved followers- through a long tunnel- up a latter or maybe two- into a chamber above me-

A massive power ballooned up- the dirty colossal, the latest creation of the deprived to ward off evil- was crushed- his soul vanishing. A demon was slain-

I continued to key in- trying to identify this intruder- sensing flow of not only one- but many demon's souls. And one- one was that beyond a demon- an archdemon. I felt short of breath as he drew closer- his spiritual power swelling in my senses.

This slayer of demons was not like the others- he had a certain nature about him that made me tremble.

Tremble- with rage.

Dearest Astraea felt it to- looking over to me, but she needn't summon me, as I was already standing, my eyes remaining on hers, until I finally readied myself for battle, disembarking from her, and heading through he mire to meet with this intruder.

"Go forth, Garl Vinland. May you be unharmed." Dearest Astraea called after me, my stride quickening.

_I will_ I said inwardly as my dark silver boots dug into the dirt leading up to the higher area, where the intruder was enclosing. I stood at the top of the gate- maiden Astraea's voice filling the chamber-

"Leave us, slayer of demons," her soft voice called, "this is a sanctuary for the lost and wretched. There is nothing here for you to pillage or plunder, please leave us quietly. A silence seemed to fall over the room- a shiver passing through me as I raised my shield.

That's when I saw him- this slayer. He had a calm- quiet stride- he did not attempt to run down the poor deprived- nor did he slow as he saw me, the warrior making a line strait for me.

I searched his cold, dead grey eyes for some hint of humanity- but- I saw only sadness and remorse, but that did not halt him as he drew a long, narrow black katana with a finely honed edge- the cursed blade seeming to resonate in his hands with the blood of the countless victims. His other arm held a heavy iron shield scavenged from one of Boletaria's knights, its surface heavily beaten- but noticeably sturdy.

His armor was simple leather, a scarf of greyed cloth tied around his mouth and nose- with just his cold, sad eyes peaking over, though he looked well and unscathed despite the ravages of the valley.

This one was very strong- I barred the way, bracing my legs to the sides and placing my shield before me, hammer pulled back to strike, waiting for him to charge. The demonslayer halted before me- analyzing my defenses- though I left no opening for him to harm dearest Astraea.

Finally- he sprung, his feet beating the ground as he swung for my shield- his blade reflecting from the surface. I tucked my shoulder back, letting the great silver Warhammer fall down upon his head-

He raised his shield- the air cracking as my mighty hammer broke over the surface and bounced back into striking position- leaving him unphased save a faint nod to the side- but a second strike would break through-

The silver hammer came down- the slayer leaping backwards with incredible speed, my hammer striking the ground as the slayer sprung forward with his outstretched sword arm-

The eastern sword reflected from my dark silver shield- glancing it to the side once again, the demonslayer rolling away and watching me expectantly. I stood my ground firmly-

"I shall let no harm come to dearest Astrea," I growled staring him down, "May you rot in the deepest depths of this swamp."

I prayed he did not know- but dearest Astraea- in a large confrontation, had her legs gouged beyond use- she could not move. They planned to stop her from running as they defeated me- though none of them survived to tell the tale. If he slipped past-

He saw I would not move- and came forward again, my shield intercepting his stab, but this time- I sprung forward myself, dropping my great hammer upon him before he could leap-

The demonslayer was quick- but took a great hit over the chest, flying back and staining the cotton over his mouth with blood. He stood- and I hit him a second time, the fiendish warrior flying end over end as I leaned all my weight into a great arc of the hammer- the full force of my wrath shattering his ribs and sending him over the edge of a cliff-

I walked to the edge- looking down and seeing him as he tumbled into the mire of the bogs below, the demonslayer looking back up at me-

"Plunge to your death, and let the acid melt the flesh from your bones." I muttered as he drew a small clump of grey weed from his pocket and chewed it, but, the "children" had already seen him, their bloated, croaking forms lumbering towards the demonslayer, who brought his katana to bear and lunged to the side-

His feet drug through the mud- rendering him unable to roll- and- as he pressed forward- he was unable to run, either. The infants closed in all sides- the slayer's honed black sword cleaving through them with ease- but- they continued to rise from the mud- the fiend unable to get away as he was constricted between rocks and murky banks-

One of them caught hold- his surprisingly strong hands gripping the back of his thigh as he dug his teeth in, the stranger shielding another at his front and wincing from the pain, bringing his frightful sword around and cleaving through another- but another infant bit into his arm on the backswing-

He was mobbed- their claws and teeth digging into him on all sides as he tripped over fell into the mud, now reddening with his blood-

I smiled in my triumph- feeling the worry leave me as the stranger was banished.

"Ye' covetous one's, let it be known:" I boasted, "We shall defend our hearth and home to the death."

I stepped away from the edge, leaving for the path to my dearest Astrea-

A presence sprung up behind me in a flash of green light-

I turned- my breath catching as I saw the stranger once more- his body aglow with an aura of a phantom. How?

I grit my teeth, bringing my hammer around-

"You will not turn back, will you?" I spat, "How dare you persist in intruding upon our haven!" The demonslayer's remorse seemed to grow- but- there was a fire in his eye at having been bested- he came forward- leaping at me from the right-

To the left as I crushed the spot with my hammer- he came at my exposed flank- the point of his blade mere inches from me-

The edge of my silver shield brushed him aside- my faceplate crashing into his skull with a jarring bang- stunning him, and as he staggered back- I brought my hammer up with both arms and crushed him- his spectral body dissipating like mist-

I drew my hammer back up- another flash of green-

There he was- angrier than ever, that he'd been bested not once, but twice-

"You abandoned us long ago, what right do you have?" I snapped- my heart breaking in my chest, "We live humble lives, leave us be!" Again, the demonslayer showed nothing- coming forward once more-

I realized then- what made this one so different-

He would not stop- he would not become a mindless phantom-

He was driven to kill Astraea with a monstrous ambition- not even the jaws of death could hold him at bay-

With a final, thunderous strike, I brought my hammer down with all I had to give- but- he'd seen my moves- memorized my timing-

His shield intercepted perfectly- knocking the greathammer aside with ease with his unnatural power- throwing me off balance as he angled his blade in hand- my life flashing before my eyes-

And her- now defenseless- waiting for a guardian that would never come-

"Dearest Astraea- I have failed you." He plunged forward- my vision going dark-


End file.
